Agricultural tenancy data collection for Scotland: methodology report

Summary of findings

The two shortlisted question sets – Set A (JAC) and Set B (SAF) – both represent feasible options for improving the collection of agricultural tenancy data in Scotland. The question sets, as well as a detailed summary of the usability assessment for these two sets and targeted recommendations for implementation, are provided in the accompanying Findings Report. As outlined there, the final decision on the future data collection approach will ultimately depend on the Scottish Government’s strategic priorities and risk tolerance:

• Set A (JAC) is recommended if the Scottish Government prioritises maximising sample coverage and operational feasibility.
• Set B (SAF) is recommended if the Scottish Government prioritises data completeness, response reliability, data granularity, and ease of completion.

These recommendations should, however, be considered in the context of certain limitations and areas requiring further exploration:

• While this project was able to engage a representative range of sector experts, farmers, and land managers, there is scope for continued and expanded stakeholder engagement in future.
• The proposed question sets and supporting guidance were reviewed by legal experts as part of this research; however, further validation is recommended.
• As discussed in the accompanying Findings Report, further analysis is recommended to confirm the relative coverage of the SAF and JAC.
• Assessing the quality of agricultural tenancy data currently held by the Scottish Government was not the primary aim of this research. Instead, the work focused on understanding, from stakeholder perspectives, the factors driving data quality issues in the JAC’s previous tenancy questions, and the recommended question sets reflect these insights. Further analysis of historic data held by the Scottish Government could help corroborate these findings.
• While engagement took place with the relevant Scottish Government teams, continued collaboration – particularly with those responsible for the SAF and agricultural policy – will be essential to ensure alignment with wider priorities and activities.